Lessons || MJ

Lessons || Chapter 18

Author's Note:  Dedicated to Indiii_bindiii. Also, I've inserted a GIF of Denzel Washington from this movie called "Training Day." His character Marcus "Snake" Franklin appears later in this story. Otherwise, feedback is appreciated.

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DARRYL

Ever since Turk and Fredrick passed away, a void grew every time lunch came around. Max couldn't blast his music in the Wrangler anymore. School faculty had organized a vigil, but it just felt wrong to not have our boys around. The entire university lost its usual energy for obvious reasons. Even when students tried to keep things normal.

Max and I hugged things out quickly in the parking lot before going our separate ways. Thanksgiving break finally began. His jeep rolled out, never even trying to perk up with booming rhythms. A sick monster wreaked havoc on my community and grief struck me like lighting, but I refused to sulk in bed forever.

Shivering, I hurried up the stairs of a brownstone. Winter flakes poured down from the sky. After finally located the apartment of my family, I peeked through the door with a quick. My five brothers all stop their loud chatter as if I were a ghost. Mother squinted in my direction. At the slightly crammed kitchen table, Lotoya, Rebbie and Janet gaped at me with huge smiles and wide eyes. Joseph hid behind a newspaper as usual, without his morning coffee of course.

"Darryl! Welcome home." Fully-grown Janet honestly threw up her arms like a child. Her baby-faced dimples still forced a smile to reached my own lips. After months of this drama and overall school aggravation, it felt good to be home with family

"What's your football record?" Randy shouted out of nowhere.

Just when I planned to answer the question for my youngest brother, Joseph cleared his throat at the table. The silence returned in the name of his presence and I found myself standing taller. Janet stopped herself from embracing me.

"How were them grades, boy? I didn't send you over there for nothing, did I?" For once my father asked a reasonable question and wouldn't yell at any of us.

I answered with a smile on my face. "It's definitely challenging, but I've kept up a 3.0." Within seconds, my family offered hats off. Even Joseph stood up from his favorite chair at the table and patted my back for a second. But he leaned to close to my ear in that same moment. I didn't know what to think.

"See why I'm so hard with ya'll? If you shot up that Pizza parlor, I'd never forgive myself." Before I could respond, Joseph walked away and slammed a bedroom door. I decided not to bother his aggravation, but Mother limped her way toward the kitchen table with a hot plate for me.

I always felt terrible, even though she'd been a resilient woman for years. Raising all these kids in a two-bedroom house before moving away from the Midwest had to be a challenge. I smiled and kissed the top of Janet's head before praying on my own. Even since well all moved up north as a family, she clung onto me like a Koala. I never minded.

"How are you and Max holding up?" Rebbie whispered across the table. Only the clank of my silverware chimed through this hushed and crammed space.

"We're all right, I guess. It's honestly just weird not having Fred and Turk around." I hesitated. "Not to mention that I haven't heard from Leslie since she left campus with Yvonne."

A brand-new kind of silence reached this place. Almost suffocating. I couldn't even eat right now. Rebbie spoke up unexpectedly.

"I saw on the news that Calvin was looking for her. I can't believe she went to your school." my sister lowered her gaze. Latoya hadn't said a word, probably out of heartache toward the situation. I completely understood. "You really don't know where she is?"

My eyes dropped. "She's gone, Rebbie. Her lawyer Yvonne wouldn't even tell me where they'd run off. It hurts, but I understand why she kept thing secret. Anyone on campus could've died if word spread."

"He didn't show up?" Janet barely spoke up. Mother took a place at our table after limp. Her brown eyes lost their joy.

"No. Praise Jehovah." I sighed, relieved. Family members around me exhaled too. "As far as I know, the police still have him in custody.

"They better." Jackie threatened suddenly. "The worlds already jacked up. There's no way my little bother's dying at the hands of madman." My other brothers mumbled and nodded in agreement. I soon lost an appetite and excused myself from the table.

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MAX

Someone bailed out Calvin.

That monster should've rotted in his jail cell until a court date, but this just happened. Ma prayed with me. Dad looked out his window every single day before and after work. Even throughout this growing holiday season, I'd never felt so scared in my life. For all we knew, my family could've been next.

And I could only hope that Leslie had been safe, wherever she was. Not even the Christmas decorations all around could perk me up. I lowered my head, somehow feeling guilty. We all couldn't just sit around and possibly wait for headlines to announce that Leslie died. I couldn't stomach that.

If only there was contact information. At the same time, that idea couldn't work. The ladies never hinted at a zip code before leaving. Even our college wouldn't divulge if I tried. Too much risk for students. Like I've said, even this holiday cheer couldn't ease my scared thoughts.

Did Calvin find Leslie right now? Where did she go with Yvonne? Who'd been sick enough to even bail Calvin out?